


You Can't Bribe the Dawn

by TheWhumpyHeartChild



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Assassins & Hitmen, Brain Damage, Cancer, Depression, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hospitalization, M/M, Marriage, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Secrets, Seizures, contract killer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-10-26 21:02:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10794693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWhumpyHeartChild/pseuds/TheWhumpyHeartChild
Summary: Sebastian is a well-feared contract killer who works for the mysterious "Little Earl" while maintaining a facade of being a company worker for the sake of his husband, Agni. Sebastian left the Underworld when he decided to get married to the man who resembles the ray of the sun, and they lived happily...for a time. Until Agni was diagnosed with brain cancer and Sebastian past decides that now would be a perfect time for a catch-up.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where I'm going with this. If you people likes my work, let me know. Feel free to critique and insults, I promise I won't be hurt, in fact, I'd appreciate any feedback. If there are things I should revise, add, omit, change, and et cetera, hurl it at me :)

CHAPTER 1

 

It started with Agni being clumsier than usual. Sebastian didn't take notice to that much, since they did just started a new life together in a new city, so he chalked that up to anxiety issues, which Agni has. The clumsiness comes and go, so it wasn't anything noticeable to the both of them. Agni was still Agni, all sunshine and butterfly honey. He'd greeted the day with that dazzling smile of his and prepare Sebastian's breakfast and lunch, humming old Bollywood song as he does so. Sebastian loved it, waking up to kisses and delicious smell of whatever Agni's came up with the day. Beside, there's nothing better than having the very incarnate of the sun in his life.

The memory problem wasn't anything significant at first, but the sinking feeling set it for Sebastian when it became more frequent and serious. Agni would forget that he'd set the stove and went to check on the laundry that he didn't even put in, leaving the pot to boil over several time. Sebastian started to have weird ingredients in his lunch, his breakfast would often taste off, which is a significant thing, as Agni takes pride in his cooking. But Sebastian wouldn't let Agni knows, he love his sensitive partner too much to make a mean comment - though he still quietly dump the lunch if it's just too much. He tried to convince Agni to go see a doctor, which Agni refused, saying that it's just his fault for being so clumsy and apologized profusely until Sebastian caved. It didn't sit well with Sebastian, but the Agni's cooking resumed back to normal, more or less, and Sebastian's work rarely ever gave him time for lunch anymore. 

Then the prolonged migraines set in.

Agni wouldn't let Sebastian know that his head sometime feels like a tectonic rift, it hurted to even swallow. But he'd suck it up and continue with his daily duties around the house anyway. Given Sebastian's salary, they can afford to have Agni be the domestic, stay-at-home partner. Agni has a part-time job as a translator for an online language company, and he often tutor the neighborhood kids as well. When the monthly evaluation for his translating raised red-flags about how he's missing due dates that he was sure he had on his schedule, he hid the panic attacks and the increased dosage of his medications from Sebastian and quietly quit the job. He told Sebastian that he'd rather tutor the neighborhood kids full time and volunteer at the local shelters, which Sebastian supported wholeheartedly - he knows how much Agni loves little children, and it'd be a lie to say that Agni hasn't brought up the idea of them adopting a child in the near future. Not only that, the local shelters loved Agni, so they were thrilled to have him on staff full time. They didn't care for his uncharacteristic clumsiness, and if he ever accidentally made the soup too salty, they'd chalk it up to the high school volunteers messing with it despite Agni's protests. 

But then he started to having falls, and as it gets increasingly hard to hide the bruises, he'd come up with excuses, which Sebastian would reluctantly believe - he knows Agni's an honest and humble man, so if he has something to hide, there's a good reason, right? Nonetheless, that didn't stop Sebastian from dragging Agni to a clinic to have him take a look at. The clinic didn't have the best equipment, so they could only give Agni a referral to a bigger clinic for a closer look, which Agni politely declined when Sebastian left the room to take a phone call. After they were finished, Agni told a lie. He meant well, he didn't want Sebastian to worry about him. He's seen how stressed Sebastian would be some night, and since he's technically dependent on Sebastian's income now that he had quit his job, he couldn't bear to be more of a burden. So he told Sebastian on the way home that the doctor at the clinic said he's okay, that he's just a little clumsy. He couldn't look at his husband face on the way home, so he pretended to sleep after telling that lie, bitter bile sitting on his tongue.

All the lies and secrecy finally converges in the worse way possible. After their dinner, Agni told Sebastian that he'd head up stair for bed early, saying that's he's feeling dizzy and promised to clean up the dishes tomorrow.

"You always work early anyway, you don't have to clean up." Agni smiled, although his head was screaming and he could barely keep himself from keeling over from the dizziness and nausea.

"Nonsense, if I can handle a multi-national corporation, I can handle the dishes." Sebastian snickered. A lie, he's actually a contract killer for various governments. His "day job" is basically him hanging around first-class lounges, awaiting order from the 'Young Earl', "Go ahead and sleep, you've been pale. Are you sure you're feeling ok?"

"I-I'm fine!" Agni stammered, leaning in to kiss Sebastian.

"All right. Just let me know if you're feeling worse okay?" Sebastian eyed his husband. Deep down, he knows something is seriously wrong, but can't seem to determine what. He noted on his schedule to drag Agni to a better doctor tomorrow as he moved the plates to the sink. Maybe St. Victoria, he heard that they have a good neurologist team.

Agni kissed him one last time and headed up stair. It wasn't even a half hour later when Sebastian was shelving the plates that he heard a loud crash from their bedroom.

"Agni?!" He ran up stair and was horrified by what he found when he burst into their bedroom.

Agni was on the ground, his body stiff with his eyes rolled up, and inhuman groaning sound escaping his throat. Within second, he was fully convulsing, his long limbs shaking and his head banging against the floor. His head has a nasty gash from the fall, blood pooling from it. Agni's grey eyes were rolled back, ruby red tears rolling out from them. It doesn't help that Agni's a haemolacriac, so his blood-stained tears made the scene that much more horrifying. 

"Fuck. Baby, oh fuck, fuck, fuck." Sebastian quickly grabbed a pillow and position it under his husband's jerking head. It was a terrifying scene, and while he's used to all the blood and gore, it's a different feeling when it's his beloved light who's suffering. 

Sebastian quickly dialed 911, explaining the situation and followed protocols, Agni's seizure was nowhere near stopping, in fact, it looked as if it's getting worse as second ticks by. Sebastian noticed a dark spot on his husband's groin and curses as he tried to reach for a towel while still keeping an eye on Agni. 

By the time the paramedic arrived, the seizure was still going, which is incredibly dangerous for Agni. A seizure lasting longer than 3 minutes for a first seizure is already concerning, but for Agni's seizure to still going at the 6 minutes mark? Sebastian felt fear for the first time in a long time. 

Scene of drug-induced tortures flashed in his head, the victims never survived a seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes, ever. Sebastian was never the sort to use drugs during his enhanced interrogation, but his associate was certainly fond of it. 

"Do something!" He damn near screamed at the paramedics, but he still has to keep his calm as he watch his husband writhing on the ground, bloody and soiled.

"Sir, we'll take it from here. How long has the seizure been going for?" The paramedic calmly answered as they put an oxygen mask over Agni's face, which was contorted in unsightly twitches, white froth foaming at this mouth, and was quickly suctioned away. 

"I don't know? Four? Five? Six? I called the moment I got up and saw him like this." Sebastian struggled to recall the time, but apparently that was enough for the paramedics to begin to administered emergency anti-convulsion medications.

"Hey! The hell do you think you're doing?" Sebastian yelled when he saw the paramedics turn Agni further to his side and pull down his pant, revealing his buttocks, and was about to make a lunge at them when a different paramedic pushed him back.

"It's an emergency medication, we know it looks bad, but let us do our job. We're focusing on controlling the seizure at the moment." One of the paramedic explained as he held Sebastian back,"your partner is having a status-epilepticus, it can only be controlled right now by rectal-administered medication on the field. Please sir, move to the side, we need to take him to the hospital right now." 

Sebastian turned his eyes away as they pressed a syringe up Agni's behind. But he forced himself to calm down and be constructive, letting his trained-instinct take the lead instead of having his emotions in charge.

"I'm coming with you." Sebastian went to grab his and Agni's identifications as well as his wallet while the paramedics transfer the still seizing Agni onto the gurney. 

"Baby, I'll be right beside you. Don't you worry." He grabbed onto Agni's hand when they're in the ambulance, forgetting to even lock the door. Agni's seizure has stopped by then, but by the color of his face, it wasn't much of an encouragement for Sebastian.

What happened next that night was a blur. The doctors gave Sebastian a stack of forms and papers to fill out as he impatiently waited in the waiting room. It broke his heart to see Agni being poke and prodded with so many needles. Agni has a phobia against needles, and while he responsibly kept up with his yearly vaccination, Sebastian always had to be there for him. The only comfort for Sebastian right now is at least Agni's out cold. Though bitter taste was still lodged in his throat as none of these damn doctors would let him know what the cunting fuck is going on.

"We're taking him in for an MRI, sign here please." A nurse appeared in front of him with yet another form.

"How's he doing?" Sebastian asked as he angrily signed the form.

"He's stabilized, but given the severity of his seizure, we need an in depth look before we can determines anything else." The nurse replied calmly, "just wait here, we'll let you when we transfer him to a room." 

It was a long night for Sebastian, he phoned the Earl to let him know he won't be coming to work for the week. Surprisingly, the Earl didn't ask about anything else and agreed. Sebastian was ready for a showdown had the bitch said no. But he was grateful, as Earl said he'll cover all hospital cost as an employer courtesy. Sebastian was too tired to analyze his employer's words then, something he surely would've done under a more normal circumstance.

Sebastian didn't sleep a wink as he watched Agni, who was in an induced coma-stage to quell the sudden burst of abnormal activity in his brain. He was bracing himself for the worse, as the only optimism in his life is unreachable.

While Agni was asleep, a doctor came in and gave Sebastian the worse news.

"There's a tumor in your husband's brain, it looks malignant, but we won't know until we biopsy a sample. We won't do that at the moment, as he's in a delicate stage at the moment." The scruffy looking doctor said, her eyes were a bleary red. 

Whatever the medical mumbo-jumbo that followed after, Sebastian didn't hear a word, all he could think of was the irony and injustice of life. His husband has never done anything wrong, all he ever wanted was peace and happiness for everyone around him. Yet, they're telling Sebastian that this pure being might have brain cancer? That he might die? Sebastian cursed himself for not seeing the signs earlier, no, for not taking the signs seriously earlier. He'd pray, but Sebastian has never believe in a god of any kind, another irony, as Agni still considers himself to be a Hindu. Oh, god. This is the man who'd wake before sunrise to make food for the homeless. This is the man who'd go above and beyond when helping people. This is a man who's loved by all he crossed path with. The man who'd greet adversary with a humble smile, saying that it's a blessing from above. Where is the justice in having him suffer?

Sebastian seethed with anger, if there's anyone who deserve to be in that hospital bed, it's him. Him, the man who can kill without blinking. The man who often takes a sadistic joy in making people suffer. A man who's been a perfect killing machine since the moment of his conception. A man who's more of a demon than a man. 

The dripping of I.V, the beeping of the monitors, the hissing of the respirator made Sebastian wants to pull out his favorite glock and kill someone, if it's in exchange for Agni. But then he realized, that Agni would never, ever allows that to happen. His lovely husband would sooner drown himself than let a boat sink if there's another person on board. 

And so Sebastian waited. Not thinking, not hoping, simply waited.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious woman visited Agni whilst Sebastian was away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're enjoying this so far. Comments, Kudos, and Critiques are always welcome.

It tooks three days when the doctors finally allows Agni to be wean off the coma-inducing drugs. Sebastian stays by his side the entire time, holding his hand. It's strange, the contrast between his and Agni's hand. One that has been repeatedly stained with blood yet remains stark white in contrast the one that has only ever brought peace from it. Yet his hand was now warmer than Agni's, whose sleeping face is unnatural calm for the state that he's in.

Sebastian was about to dose off when he heard the slight thrashing, Agni's awake, his eyes wide and full of fear, hospitals has never been kind to him.

"Shhh, you're all right. I'm right here." Sebastian quickly lean over and cusp his hands around Agni's face, pressing his forehead against his husband, whose pale gray eyes calmed after seeing a familiar face.

"Seb--seb.."Agni mutters weakly underneath the oxygen mask, his voice raspy.

"You're okay now, I'm here." Sebastian kisses his husband's forehead, his hand moves to rub on Agni's shoulder, his thumbs tracing the bandage from the gash. 

"I...I.."Agni gasps, "wha-what..hap.."

"You had bad seizure, sweetheart, but you're all right now. Just rest." Sebastian kisses Agni's forehead again, speaking in the calmest voice he can muster at the moment. He just wants to hug Agni as tight as possible, but given the state he's in, Sebastian doubt any doctor would approve.

"Ho-how?" Agni swallows, he can barely keeps his eyes open, the world sounds too muffled yet loud at the same time. He tries to keep his concentration on Sebastian, but it proves to be a daunting task.

"There's a..a tumor." Sebastian answers quietly, he didn't want to break the bad news so soon, "but it's ok. We don't know if it's good or bad. So, uh, let's hope for the best huh?"

He fakes being cheerful and nonchalant, hoping that Agni would follows that happy path instead of the more ominous one. Agni smiles in return and a weight releases itself from Sebastian's shoulders. Good, he has some time to get this shit together. 

"S-sor-sorry," Agni needlessly apologize, he feels horrible, not because of the fact that he's in the hospital, but because he's being an inconvenience to his husband again.

"No. Don't you dare be sorry for anything. Ever." Sebastian sternly replies, "you need to go back to sleep, it'll be good for you. Stop thinking, and just sleep. Ok?"

"Ok." Agni smiles softly and drifts back into the ether. He feels safe, with Sebastian by his side, there's nothing to fear anymore.

Sebastian grasps Agni's hand tightly, kissing it with a reverent. He presses his forehead against the very hand that has made him breakfast every morning, the very hand that carefully crafted his lunch, the very hand that lovingly made him dinner every single night. He hold that hand, tracing the veins, the curvature of the bones, admiring the softness of it. Something stirs inside him.

Guilt.

It's not an emotion that Sebastian's familiar with, in fact, you could say that it's not something that Sebastian has ever experienced at all. It's probably the lack of sleep that's causing him to feel this, he muses to himself. After all, he's barely slept for more than two hours interval while Agni was comatose. 

Sebastian kisses Agni's hand once last time before grabbing his coat to leave, he'd only be gone for an hour anyway. Now that Agni's awake, he'll need a better pillow for the duration of his hospital stay. Perhaps a warmer blanket, the one they have for him is terribly scratchy. Oh, and he'll definitely need an electric kettle for tea whenever Agni would like. Now that it's his turn to take care of someone, Sebastian can't help but feel that he's at a terrible lost. 

==============================================================

The woman waited until He left the parking lot. It was strange for her, to be so close to the man she once commandeered the Underworld with yet so far from him. She removed her sunglasses, revealing coal-black eyes that reflects nothing. At least at the beginning, if you piss her off enough, you'll see that scarlet-glints around her pupil, and it'll be the last thing you'd see. A trait she shares with her ex-partner.

She stood up from the sofa she was sitting at, casually adjusts her modified Baby Desert Eagle and proceed to room E340. She's rather tall, standing at 5'10", with a lithe yet athletic frame. Her long raven hair pulled back into a messy braid. She dresses in all-black, her preferred color. She should've stand out, yet the nurses didn't look her way twice as she seems to float on air pass them, her greatest talent yet.

The door to room E340 slides open with little sounds, the man with blonde hair and milky chocolate for skin is peacefully sleeping, his oxygen mask dutifully pumps air as instructed. She must admit, he is beautiful, too beautiful. This makes her frown in a rather uncomfortable way. How can a sick man be so damn pretty?

"What the fuck, Sebby?" She mutters under her breath as she comes closer to the bed.

Some people looks better from far away and hideous up close, something that she hopes to be true in this case as well. Not this man though, he's pretty from all direction. His genetics combination somehow gave him a chiseled jaw line, hair that looks like spun-gold, long eyelashes that flickers softly as he dreams - allowing her to see that silvery grey eyes behind them, and skin that resembles coffee with just the right amount of milk added. She looks at him from top to bottom, and he's tall too, over six feet easy. She could almost see why Sebastian would dropped out of the Business for this man. 

She quickly places all the bugs on her around the room, positioning one in a specific angle so she can monitor that angelic face better. When she was done, she steps back outside of the room and calls H.Q, impatiently tapping her foot as she waits for the line to be connected.

"The' fuck, Mey?" She sputters the moment a soft voice answers, "you never said he'd be so...pretty!"

"Sorry. I thought it'd be better for you to see for yourself rather than wasting time to describe that fine-ass male specimen." Mey-Rin's voice snorts over the phone.

"Bloody hell, no wonder why Michaelis left. Fuck, I would if I'd found him first." She grumbles, looking back into the room. 

"Yeah well, too bad." Mey-Rin rolls her eyes, "just plant the bugs and get out of there, Michaelist will be back soon, ETA 30 minutes."

"Already did." She answers with an offended tone,"but tell me more about that fine piece of ass."

Mey-Rin cackles as she quickly types strings of commands into her computer, "Your wish is my pleasure." 

She slides back into the room and closes the door as Mey-Rin cracks her fingers, she cracks her neck in response, almost flinching at how loud the pop was - but let of a sigh of relief when no sign of stirring left the sleeping man.

"Okay. You ready?" Mey-Rin voice cracks over the phone.

"Shoot." She replies, leaning against the wall.

"Okey. Name's Agni Satyendra Iyer-Michaelis, shoddy paper trails about his past, but he was adopted right before his 18th birthday into a wealthy family back in India - says here that he was abused rather horrifically before his adoption, forced to fight to death and evident of repeated sexual assault. But it got better for him - yay! Moved to England at 24 for his degree in Culinary Art and Master in Engineering - totally weird major combo by the way-, but dropped out of Engineering after a supposed nervous breakdown. He did finished his Culinary Art degree though. "

"He probably met our dear Micky sometime around that, since they got married two years later, around the time that Micky left us. Excellent cook according to his school's review and comments left by professors and a Michellin's chef. He was working as a tri-lingual translator up until...3 months ago? They marked his record as being late and what not. Anyway, mostly vegetarian but will eat meat if Micky is whiny enough according to his social media from a while back - how nice of him- nothing beef related though, he's still kind off a Hindu." Mey-Rin pauses to take a breath before diving right back in. 

"He is like, an overall great guy. He volunteers to tutor children around the neighborhood, volunteers at the soup kitchen. Does yoga, meditation, all that healthy shit that Micky is definitely NOT doing. He runs marathon for god's sake, MARATHON. How the hell does these two even make it past one year let alone seven?" Mey-Rin shakes her head, her oversize glasses slid down her nose. 

"Like fuck I'd know." She answers, her nose twitching with both jealousy and annoyance, "Anyway, why would Undertaker wants us to follow them? Didn't he signed a truce pact?"

"He did- and don't ask me about what's going inside that mortuary-kooks head, he's creepy." Mey-Rin shivers, "he just said to plant the bugs and observe. Which is mean, it's like, he's forcing us to experience like, K-Drama, but in real life."

"You say K-Drama one more time and I will blow this building up." She snarls. Not because she hates Korean's Drama in general, it's just that Mey-Rin obsession with them can be a nightmare to deal with. 

"But come on! Significant other with a dark past? The nicer part of the pair struck with cancer? That's totally K-Drama worthy!" Mey-Rin exclaims and rubs her hands together gleefully. Ooh, she could casually pitch this to an unknowing director in South Korea, maybe just hijack their computer enough to drops ideas around.

"I'm leaving. The bugs are planted, they're functional. And frankly, being in a room with something so pure makes me wanna hurl." She exhales sharply and left the room. Passing by the nurses, who once again casually ignored her. 

"You're such a downer. Micky's ETA is still 12 away anyway." Mey-Rin whines.

"You have the feeds, you can be privy then. My work here is done. I'll see you." She clicks her tongue and disconnects. She's learn to be ahead of the ETA since her first brush with death.

=============================================================

 

Sebastian returns with far too many bags than he needed, but better safe than sorry. He has Agni's favorite pillow, the thick shawl that Agni's carried with him from India - a gift from his mother in case he gets homesick. He also brought all the teas and the electric kettle along with their matching mugs. Agni was still sleeping when he returns, beautiful as ever. The sun is setting, and its light filtering through the curtain hits Agni's features just right, illuminating that blonde hair and caressing that gorgeous facial feature.

Smiling at his husband, Sebastian took off his coat and roll out his blanket as he pulls an armchair closer to Agni's bedside. He never sleeps this early, but what the heck, it's been a long day. He kisses Agni's forehead and sink into the vaguely stiff armchair, exhaustion climbs on his eyelids and pulls them down - a little rest never hurts.


	3. Chapter 3

Agni opens his eyes, the nausea has subsided somewhat. He looks around his room and smiles when he sees his husband nodding off next to him, his hand tight around Agni's. The sun has already set by the time he woke up, and the room's light is dimmed, but the smell - oh, god - the smell makes Agni wants to hurl. He squeezes Sebastian's hand unknowingly, waking the man up.

"Hey, baby." Sebastian cracks his neck, "how are you feeling?"

Agni licks his lips, his tongue feels so dry, and his throat is parched, "thirsty."

"Give me a sec, I brought those tea you like." Sebastian stood up and turn on the kettle that's already filled with water. While waiting for the kettle to boil, he pours Agni a glass of water and drop a straw in it, "have some water first."

Agni carefully sips the water, it feels so good to have cooling liquid calming his parched throat, "Th-thanks."

He looks at Sebastian, whose black eyes seems to be smiling despite his stoic face. Sebastian set the cup down after Agni's finished drinking, grabbing a cool cloth he's set aside to wipe Agni's face. 

"I'll call a doctor in to check on you." Sebastian says as he dips the cloth back into a bowl of cool water and wrings it out. 

"No. Wait." Agni's hand flew out, grabbing onto Sebastian's arm, "not yet. Please."

The fear on Agni's face is disheartening to look at, and Sebastian nods in compliance. He run his fingers through his raven hair, his coal eyes focuses on Agni's.

"I'm sorry, it's just..I..um." Agni begins, but words seem to elude him. 

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything. I'll call the doctor when you're ready." Sebastian leans in and kisses Agni's forehead, one hand rubbing his husband's shoulder lovingly.

"I'm sorry," Agni bites back a tear on the verge of escaping. If only he had listen to Sebastian, if only he didn't lie, maybe he wouldn't be here at all, "what's..wrong with me?"

Sebastian clicks his tongue, he didn't want to tell Agni yet, "I don't know yet," he lies, "The doctor said she'll let us know together."

"Sebastian..please." Agni tenses, he can tell when his husband is lying, "what's going on? What did they say?"

Sebastian exhales, withdrawing from Agni. A bad move on his part, since Agni's eyes widen in fear, his lips quivering, "Sebastian?" Agni's voice trembles.

"They," Sebastian drew in a breath, "they said there's a tumor in your brain."

Agni's blood run cold, his ears started to ring, "..what?"

"I thought I told you already." Sebastian's brows furrows.

"No, you didn't." Agni swallows, or did he? He can't seem to remember.

"I did, just a while ago. But that's okay, must've been the drugs." Sebastian dismisses the rising fear in Agni's voice, "But yes, there's a tumor. Now we don't know if it's bad or not yet, so let's hope for the best."

Agni grimly nods, trying to put a brave face. The ringing in his ears suddenly intensify, he closes his eye for what he thought was a moment to clear his head, but when he came to, a doctor is in front of him, shining a light into his eyes.

"Agni? Can you hear me?" The doctor says, the light makes him flinch, "Agni?"

"Huh? What..?" Agni coughs, he suddenly feels like vomiting again, and why is he shivering? It's not even cold, in fact, he feels like he's burning up?

"Agni, look at me." The doctor commands, her voice calm.

"Uh," He complies. Her hair is really red, and she smells like an old bouquet of roses.

"Do you know where you are?" She asks him as she put her penlight away.

"Hos..hos.uhm..hos." He knows what he wants to say, but why can't the word just come?

"That's right, you're in the hospital. You had another seizure, it can mess up your brain for a bit, so don't panic if you can't find the word you're looking for." The doctor smiles, "I'm Doctor Dalles, Angelina Dalles, but you can call me Angie if you'd like."

"Seb.. where?" Agni looks around for his husband, he's glad that Dr. Dalles is such a kind woman, but he'd rather have his husband by him.

"I had him stand outside while you were seizing, it can be upsetting for family member. Don't worry, he's still out there, I'll call him in now." Dr. Dalles taps Agni's hand gently and press the comm button over Agni's bed, "Mr. Michaelis, you can come back in now."

It wasn't a second later that Sebastian burst into the room, his face full of worry, "is he okay?"

"Hi." Agni waves weakly in response.

"He's better for the moment, I changed the anti-convulsant dosage. If he's feeling better by tomorrow, I'd like to take him in for a more comprehensive MRI and perhaps a biopsy for the mass in his brain." Dr. Dalles clicks her pen and scribbles some notes on her tablet.

"Whatever you think is necessary," Sebastian rushes to Agni for a hug, "why was there another seizure in the first place? I thought that was taken care of already."

"Mr. Michaelis, as of right now, there's not much for us to go on with. Your husband is in a delicate state, so we can't exactly ran every test on him, that would've been too stressful. As for the seizure, the initial medication was only a general benzodiazepine, the new one will be better for managing his seizures until we know more." Dr. Dalles calmly replies, "I already paged someone from Neurology to better assess his situation. Oncology will be on board if the tumor is determined to be...malignant."

Sebastian gritted his teeth, seething with anger, "All right. Now what?"

"In the mean time, Mr. Thaman-Michaelis, if you'd like to have some dinner before the nurses make their final round, you can call room service." Dr. Dalles finishes scribbling her notes and tuck her pen back into her breast pocket.

"Can he have homemade food? What about tea?" Sebastian asks in Agni's stead, who nods in agreement.

"I don't see why not, just make sure the food isn't too salty, excess sodium could lead to another seizure. But tea is fine." Dr. Dalles smiles and walk out the door, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Agni and Sebastian turn to look at each other, it's going to be a long night for the both of them. Sebastian changes Agni's pillow and drape his mother's shawl over him then went to reheat the kettle for tea again. 

"Nothing too special, I made you some risotto." Sebastian places the bowl in the provided microwave, the Little Earl managed to get Agni into a private room.

"I'm okay, just tea for me." Agni says weakly, he's not really hungry, not with the nausea bubbling in him.

"Oh. Of course, I brought the Chrysanthemum tea," Sebastian turn off the microwave and place the risotto back in the fridge.

"Thank you," Agni lean back into his pillow, it feels so much better than the one provided by the hospital. The heaviness of the shawl feels good on his shoulder too.

As he drinks his tea, Agni listens to Sebastian complaining about his job as he always does, all without a clue that it's only a facade. He was soon lulled to sleep by Sebastian's voice, the tea really does a great job of calming his nerves. Sebastian settles back into the armchair, and waited. He's tired of sleeping anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian and Agni is introduced to the wunderkind genius, Sieglinde Sullivan. How will Sebastian handle the beckons of the Little Earl while still being by his ray of light's side?
> 
>  
> 
> =======================================================================

.

"First question - why was I ordered to bug Michealis's husband room?" She tossed, ahem, fling a biscuit at Undertaker's face.

"Nyaaa, nomphh." Pearly white teeth snapped open and the biscuit was immediately devoured with a suckling noise...how was that even physically possible?

"Just curious."

"That's not an answer." She snarled.

"In order to learn, one must first observe." Undertaker grinned cheekily and pretend to put on a serene face. She's seen better on dead corpses.

"Observe what? It's a hospital room."

"Of our ex-Best Operative in his most..shall I say, emotional state." a chuckle left Undertaker, he knows how much it pissed her off to talk about Sebastian as being better than her in anyway. 

"He was never the Best." She fell for the bait, intentionally. Which made Undertaker roared with hysterical laughter. 

"Nyeeehhhahahaa, I knew youd' fall fo' that!" Long black coat flapped back and forth. 

"Dipshit. I ask again, why was I asked to bug a hospital room?" Her ears twitched, her patience weaning. 

"There' snothing to worry about. Just you wait." Undertaker scoffed and turn his back. No more question is to be ask today.

She gritted her teeth and threw one last piece of biscuits at that dump top-hat before leaving. Perhaps Mey-Rin would be more enlightening than this necrophiliac.

===========================================================

"Mr. Michaelis, if you could please sign these." A glassed young man with messy hair in a lab coat handed Sebastian a clipboard with a stack of forms on it.

"What are these for exactly?" Sebastian eyed the clipboards, but not reaching for it. Agni was still sleeping, so it already pissed him that this rude...kid would dare to just waltz in and be speaking at such a casual volume.

"They're for the MRI, fMRI, blood-work, miscellaneous lab-test and etc." The four-eyes bobbled.

With a barely detectable hmph, Sebastian proceeded to scanning through the dozen pages worth of forms and signed them accordingly. Inside his head, numbers has already begun to run. He does not have to worry about money, but after spending years with a certain someone who seems to only be able to think number really rubbed off on him. 

Handing back the signed form with his infamous Kindly-Fuck-Off now face, Sebastian returned his attention to his sleeping angel as the four-eyes squirreled away. Agni has been sleep for close to ten hours, minus the periodic nurse coming into to wake him up for vital. It annoys Sebastian, but Agni, bless his heart, was such an angel that all the nurses have already begun to swoon over him at their station.

"mmmhm." Agni's eyes fluttered open, springing Sebastian into action.

"Hello, sweetie." Sebastian crooned, sweeping his hand over Agni's bang. Even with dark circles and sunken cheek from lack of eating and sheer exhaustion, Agni still managed to look so beautiful.

"H..hi. Did..I..um.." He took a few moment to collect his breath,"Did I..se..sleep..for long? Were..were..um. were you waiting?"

"I would never leave your side." Sebastian frowns,"and why would I be waiting?"

Was he waiting? That's the first thing his husband could've ask him, really? He's just suffered from two devastating seizure, was comatose, barely eat, and the first thing he asked about right after he woke up was Sebastian bothered by waiting for him?

If there is a god, it needs to learn some virtue from this man.

"I..I don't know. Your..uhm..your job. Right?" Agni blinked, a worried smile appeared underneath the oxygen mask.

"You silly thing! Of course I called in, you're in the hospital for god's sake. Why are you not more worried about yourself?" Sebastian clicked his tongue, slightly annoyed at Agni's unbearable amount of selflessness.

Okay, so maybe "calling in" isn't a thing, but since the Little Earl has so gratefully extended his bloody mercy and got Agni an exclusive V.I.P room, Sebastian can safely assumed that Little Earl has already known he won't be taking any new job for a while.

"I'm-m, I'm sorry." Agni whispered, he wondered if he'd make his husband mad. His brain is such just a mess, he can't seem to think straight. The mask feels itchy on his face - it's too warm, too moist, too sticky. He wants to move, but he can't, his body feels like mushy rice left on the counter for too long.

"Don't." Sebastian's sharp voice quipped. "Don't you dare for one second apologize for anything. None of this is your fault, and it will never be your fault. If you apologize one more time, I will throw your brother at a wall."

Agni's eyes widened before relaxing, a small laugh escaped him. Sebastian has always had a little rivalry with Agni's adopted brother, Soma, the boy was the bane of Sebastian existence whilst dating Agni. Sure, Agni may have been a little more than too shy then, but for Soma to be tagging along with almost all of their first few dates was enough to make Sebastian wanted to dump the kid in a ditch somewhere. Not that he really would, of course, that would've devastated Agni.

"Did..you..um. Di-d you called..S--s-Soma?" Agni stuttered. He can't seem to fit the words as he wanted them to.

"Not yet, I don't want him to know until we've got a definite answer. You know your brother, he'd drops everything and fly here by the time I disconnect." Sebastian rubbed Agni's forehead, the place where the swollen gash's taped together with butterfly stitches and a pad over it. Agni's left eye was a little swollen thanks to that.

"Oh. I'm glad. I don't wan-..I..I don't him..worry." Agni frowned. What is going on with him?

"Hey, hey. You're fine. The Doctor said to anticipate this. You had some bad seizures, all right. And it bounds to mess you up. You're fine. I understand you. And that's all that matter, all right?" Sebastian soften and leaned in closer, pressing his forehead against Agni's.

Agni whimpered softly, he really hates this. Being so weak and dependent.

A knock at the door jolted them and the red-haired Doctor walked in with, is that a child? behind her. The little girl has her hair in two dark, long pig tail and bangs with emerald green ribbons tied around them. She looks no older than 12 at best, 15 if Sebastian's being generous. But she's wearing a full-fledged Doctor's lab-coat embossed with the name, S. Sullivan M.D.

"Hello~ you two lovely gentlemen, may I introduce your personal attending, Doctor Sullivan." Doctor Dalles, Angie, smiled and ceremoniously waved her hand at the little girl.

"Hello." The little girl, no, Doctor Sullivan, waved. Her mouth pressed into a thin line, she can already tell that the dark-haired already has a problem with her.

"Hello there, I'm..Agni." Agni smiled brightly under his oxygen mask, he's bemused about his attending. But if she's so young, she must be a great genius! Oh, how blessed is he to have a genius to be his attending. Unsurprisingly, his husband did not share the same sentiment.

"I beg your pardon, but a child? As my husband attend-" Sebastian was about to object when Dr. Sullivan snapped.

"Yes. A child. For your information, since you're so keen about it. I am 14 years old. I graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering at the age of 8 with Harvard University, I finished by Ph.D in said degree with the University of Oxford at 11 while completing my medical school training. I assure you, my age will not be a problem here." She seemed to seethed. "If for lack of a better word, I am the best you will get at this hospital in Neurology and Pharmacology."

A quite giggle escaped from Dr. Dalles disguised as a cough after Sullivan's introduction. Sieglinde Sullivan is a proud creature, one of great intelligence and equally great pride. It was hard for her emotionally to get along with her so-called classmate when she's only a third of their age. It didn't matter much when she gets to come home to her uncle Wolfram's loving embrace and terribly shitty meals, all her worries burned away like her tastebuds. She knew to expect this kind of reaction, and in her theory, best to shut down the haters before they get a chance to breed.

Sebastian seemed taken aback, he surely wasn't expecting something so feisty out of such a..tiny little girl. Agni glared at him, demanding that he apologize to the young doctor with just a look.

"Well. I..am most certainly sorry for my arrogant presumptions." Sebastian cleared his throat. Agni's shoulders relaxed, he really can't believe he's married to someone so opposite of him sometime.

"Apology accepted." Dr. Sullivan nodded curtly. And if Sebastian was honest with himself, he's impressed. This little creature got spunk. Nonetheless, his husband health trumps spunk.

"Well, now that we're all acquainted, let's move on." Dr. Dalles tapped on her tablet. "Agni, we've already scheduled you for an MRI today, as well as an EEG. Dr. Sullivan will take over your care after that. And of course, rest assured that you're in the best of care."

"Thank..thank you. I'm glad. Ni-nice.to..um" Agni began, but he couldn't find the words to finish. He knows what he wants to say, so why can't he?

"It is so very nice to meet you as well, Agni." Sullivan clasped her hands around Agni's, her hands are so small in comparison to his. "I promise I will do my best. And don't you worry, a little aphasia after such traumatic activity to the brain is normal. With proper medication and therapy, you should be good as new soon enough."

"Angie, may I call you Angie?" Sebastian began.

"Of course, I much prefer it that way." Dr. Dalles replied, still tapping away on her tablet.

"How long should we, Agni and I, expect to be in the hospital?" He moved closer to the red-haired doctor as Agni and Sullivan get to know each other better. 

"In all honesty? You should brace for a long time. Preliminary scans done when he was first admitted does not look good. I'm expecting the tumor to be malignant, and Dr. Sullivan agreed after taking a look at his blood-works as well." Dr. Dalles sighed and looked up to Sebastian, whose face as set to a grim line.

"Is that so."

"Yes, there's a saying around here. Brace for the worst and hope for the best." Dr. Dalles lowered her voice even lower." Agni seems like a highly positive man, I don't want to ruin his energy. Patience high in optimism tend to have better outcome, so let us try to keep it that way as much as we can."

"I agree." Sebastian looked back at his husband, whose vital are being taken by the young doctor. Dr. Sullivan is so small that needed a step-stool to properly be at a height to take Agni's vital. Imagine if Agni were to stand up, the man would be a giant over her.

"All right, Agni, let's get you to MRI." Dr. Sullivan tucked her stethoscope back into her pockets and kicked the stool back under the bed. A few seconds later, a pair of nurses came it with a wheelchair.

After helping Agni into the wheelchair, Sullivan, now Sully to Agni, continues to animatedly chatted with each other as they goes down to the MRI room, leaving Dr. Dalles and Sebastian following behind them. 

Just as Sebastian thought the day might take a turn for the better, his phone buzzed. He made the damned mistake of pulling it out to look at it. A single, unmarked message appeared on the screen, unquestionably from the Little Earl.

I need you to come in. Meet at The Manor. Midnight. Come fully checked.

Sebastian inwardly groaned, he's completely forgotten to bring any weapons with him. He'll have to leave Agni tonight then, what a damn pain.


End file.
